Youth sports all over the country are getting more serious because the stakes are even higher. With college scholarships and the possibility of fame and fortune of the professional athlete, kids are training at higher levels of intensity and more frequently so that they can play at that more elite level during game time.
Unfortunately, even with the increase of technology in sports equipment, harder play means more injuries.
It is estimated that more than 30 million children now participate in organized sports including football, basketball, soccer gymnastics, swimming and baseball. So, as the participation continues to increase so do the injuries. Sports injuries to young people now exceed the occurrence of infectious disease.
There is help. With the introduction of sports chiropractic, kids can not only prevent injuries but improve performance. Because doctors of chiropractic are experts in the field of human bio-mechanics, they are very aware of proper posture and movement.
A chiropractor can observe an athlete in action, detect, and prevent a structural problem that can cause a decrease in overall performance or eventual injury. These injuries are often caused by improper bio-mechanics or muscle imbalances in the body that can be corrected or at least strengthened by the chiropractic adjustment and balance training of the affected joint or joints.
Most people do not know that chiropractic isn’t only for the back and neck but has been proven to help with conditions or the elbows, knees and shoulders as well.
Here are some helpful tips for your child athlete to reduce the risk of future sports-related injuries:
1) Have your child warm-up and stretch for at least 10-15 minutes prior to playing any sports to help with overall flexibility and reduce the risk of a muscle strain.
2) Perform a cool down following the game by stretching in positions for 20-30 seconds and reduce bouncing to help alleviate muscle tightness.
3) Train your child specifically for each sport. Activities in certain sports use different muscles in the body in various patterns. By using sport-specific training, the body will adapt faster to the motions during game play.
4) Give your child adequate rest between practices or games. Always allow one to two days off per week to let your child’s muscles heal and repair.
5) Drink 2 or 3 cups of water 2 hours before practice or a game and drink at least 64 ounces of water daily to allow for proper hydration.